Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-03-26
AT THE SEAS MERCY.
Driven Through the Storm on &
Grinding Iceberg,

We were due south Of Cape Horn,
and about one hundred miles from land
(says Peter Nelson, an Old whaler,J
when the wind died away On u- one
morning and left Il. hcayinc on a
heavy swell, with five or six big ice
bcrgs in full view. The calm came
about ten O'Clock in the morning, and
at that time the nearest berg. which |
will venture TO say covered a, much
space a. a village Of two thousand in
habitants, was four miles off. Before
noon we had driftcd toward each other
until we were two miles apart; but
then the same current seemed 10 catch
US, and we driftcd away to the west in
company, neither incrcasingnor LESSEN
ing the two miles distance. The day
was raw and chilly, though the sun
shone brightly, and the air was 50 clear
that the men on our docks soon made
out some animals moving on the BERG.
il had swung around a bit, showing a
new face, and when the captain had
taken a look with his glass he Informed
Is that he could make out two polar
bears and several small animals, which
he believed to be Arctic foxes. We had
been without fresh meat for many
months, and an appeal was made fol
IN Of the boats TO be permitted to 70
of and kill the bears. The weather
had a steady look, and after some he.i.
tation the captain permitted the third
mate to take four men and pull off.
The name Of the mate was Mr.. Wharton
and the men were George Smith,
George Olson, Bill Green and myself.
We took along mu-ket, and harpoons.
and pulled away, rejoicing that We
were to have an adventure.
There was but little field ice, and W,
had no difficulty in avoiding the occa
sional great cakes and pieces broker
from the bcrgs. We pulled with sucl
a will that we were soon mp 10 the BERG
and it did not take Us long 10 find on
that the captain was right. On a sur
Of shelf thirty or forty feet above tn,
water we discovered the bears, but a
soon as they noted our presence the,
scampered along the shelf until hidden
behind a projection. If You never saw
an iceberg it will be hard to make vor
understand just what they are. Til
stood up yIe hundred and fifty fee
out OF water at its highest point, Tn
surface was cut up into r%avincs, hill,
towers, and all sorts of incqualitic,
and these inequalities extended dow.
and along every side. There were
dozen places where the sun was meltin
the ice 50 that streams Of water wer
trickling down, and the waves wcr
breaking along one whole side an
throwing spray fifteen feet high.
presume some Of the lady passenger
on an ocean steamer passing two q
three miles away might have called it
grand sight, but as we reached the has
Of the berg il seemed to us to be abo,
as ugly AN object as the sea could be;
up. VIZ were on the lee side,
course, and as the bears scamper,
along we pursued until we found the
further progress stopped by n hie
cliff, up which nothing could make i
way. We could come up within ha
pistol shot, and the mate and Smi
Were good shots with the musk,
How far the bears had been carried
the berg, OF how long they had be
afioat, IT was of course impossible
tell; but the mate figured from (
wear and tear of the big lump of
that it had been weeks at sea. AT a
rate, the bears seemed greatly iattl
at the sight of us, shrinking against
wall and whining like dogs as soon
fire was opened. They were both do
after seven or eight shots.
You will mind that the ship was
windward Of the berg and two mi
away. We had pulled around to
lee side, and were consequently out
sight of the vessel. We had dowr
the bears and were looking for a pli
10 make the boat fast in order to get
the c~areasses, when, as suddenly as
sou had clapped a blanket over il,
sun was obscured, there was a sha
puff of wind, and next moment
was showing as It only SHOWS
dreary Cape Horn AT the right seas
Of the year. The whole heave
We're oyerspread In no time, Al
We could not see the water twenty Il
away. The ship had seen the squl
gathering and afr,l runs for u- brtc